Hey it's me again! (Yeah with another shikatemari fanfiction. what can i say? I love this pairing!)
So now let's get down to business. This is a Alternate Universe where the event in Shippuden haven't happened and Shikamaru became a Jonin at 16. He is now 17 and Temari 20
Confrontation
Chapter 1: Briefing and departure
Yet again Shikamaru was waiting for an assignment. 'Can she just leave me alone? I already did four this month!' Of course a normal Jonin would at least make twice if not three time as much.
"Come in Shikamaru"
Of the 30 days, Shikamaru had been out only 10 days. 'This is a disgrace for a leaf shinobi!' Tsunade thought. 'Someone with such talent and still wasting it doing nothing more than napping and watching cloud.' Tsunade had thought about giving him the title of konoha's strategist but with his young age and his inexperience in combat made the elder refuse him the title.
His arms behind his head, his eyes lazily half-closed, Shikamaru didn't seem to care. 'Does he care about anything?' Shikamaru just had come in and she was ready to beat him.
"I've assign you to a B-rank mission. You must protect the convoy of the Utheky clan from here to their home in the land of Rivers. You will go alone and make sure no one will steal their merchandise. The Utheky clan is one of the most powerful merchant clan in the world. Unfortunately for them one of their rival clan has but a bounty on their merchandise. We have reason to think other hidden village might want their merchandise. Considering your direction, Shinobi from the rock, the rain, the waterfall and the sand might attack you.
Shikamaru startle. "Aren't we supposed to be allied with the sand? I mean if they saw that the shinobi protecting the convoy is a Leaf, won't they backed down? Shikamaru knew the answer already but hoped she would agree with him. 'One less village to worry. If not This is going to be troublesome' He thought to himself.
"You know the rule Shikamaru. Even if it says that if one shinobi fall, every shinobi must act I can't declare a war because your ass would get kicked by an allied shinobi. This is business, nothing personal. Plus with their Kage I'm sure the sand won't kill you if they saw you. They will attack and try to do their mission. But they will let you live to make sure not to create a diplomatic incident. Same thing applies to you though." 'Not that I think you would even move a finger you lazy ass!' "So if you don't have objection you are leaving in two hours. If everything go well, you should made it to their compound in two days."
"Do I have anything to say about it?" She shakes one head. "This is going to be troublesome."
Shikamaru turn around, heading to the door. "Wait shikamaru, I want you to wear that cloak. If the enemy see you before you do they might be able to beat you. If you wear this, they won't think you're a shinobi. Be sure to hide you equipments under."
He took it, mumbling "Troublesome"
Two hours later, Shikamaru left the village with the Utheky clan. The convoy consisted of two carts pulled by two oxen and five people: Kyueng, the Elder and head of the family, his wife Ju, their daughter Yomoko and their two sons Tai and Gotro. The parents look to be in their mid-forties, the daughter 15 and their sons 24 and 12. The older brother didn't look really strong but seem to be quite agile with a staff. 'He could be useful if the enemy were just a bunch of thugs.
"Hey you... Tai right?" He nodded. "How good are you with that staff?"
"Certainly not as skilled as a shinobi but I can defend myself."
"Good, if anything happened and I'm unable to protect you and your family, you think you could fight off non-shinobi combatant?"
He had a proud look in his face. "Sure I could!" He then took his staff and makes a few stances. He looked a bit like those Shaolin monk from the documentary he saw about feudal martial art.
The rest of the day everything went well. Shikamaru decided to make the camp in a clearing 500 meters aways from the road. It has been a boring day. Between the father who was always talking about how good time were before the third shinobi war, Tai who always tried to show off with his staff skills and their daughter who clearly had a crush on him. 'One more day and it's over. He sat down near the campfire and closes his eyes. Anyone who would look at him would think he was asleep but for once he wasn't. He had mastered a technique learn by looking at the Hyuga. He had put string around their camp and had infused it with chakra. Any fluctuation of the chakra would mean someone had entered the perimeter. Voilà! Homemade Byakugan 360° defense. It wasn't as perfect as the byakugan. It would take him 1/5 of his chakra reserve but with this no shinobi could get close to them without noticing.
Unknown to Shikamaru, a sand jonin was closing the gap between them. The jonin would get to them by tomorrow by noon by the calculation he made. He remembers the word of the kazekage 'No death! Knock them out, take the medallion and get out. Don't let them see your face. Take this mask."
An easy mission for a skilful jonin. He remembered the look of that medallion. It had belong to the Fourth Kazekage before being stolen by peasant from his body left in the desert by Orochimaru. The pendant had changed hand for more than 4 year before being acquired by the Utheky Clan. 'Those filthy pigs! That pendant had always belonged to a Shinobi and always will!"
The ninja put down his mask and hood, revealing a green eyed blond kunoichi with four pigtail. 'I, Sabaku no Temari, swear to retrieve the pendant whatever it cost!"
For Shikamaru, the night had been pretty calm. He even slept even though he was supposed to watch. It wouldn't have made so much difference since the chakra flux would've waked him up. He stood up and went waking up everyone.
After a small breakfast they hit the road again. If they move fast enough they could make it to the compound in 7 hours.
They were walking since 7 am. Everything was going well until 1pm. Shikamaru sensed it. "Stay back, we're under attack. One shinobi hiding that way." He pointed the left side of the road in front of them. "Come out, I know you're here!"
A masked sand shinobi jump in the middle of the road. "Too bad, I wanted to surprise you." The voice sound familiar. It was definitely a girl voice. The Kunoichi then reach with her hand a weapon in her back. A giant fan. 'Wait a minute... I know that fan! Could it be...?"
"Temari? Is that you?"
'How did... do I know him? Well at least I won't have to wear this mask now.' She reach for her mask and throw it down as well as her cloak"Okay so you finds out who I was. Now who the frak are you!"
'Why do everywhere I go I always end up with that girl!' "Troublesome woman. How come everywhere I go you a there?" He put down his hood.
She was shocked. "Shikamaru? Now that changed everything. Step aside and I will let you go unharmed."
"I would normally accept such a great offer, but since you are a woman I won't. You won't take their merchandise."
"I don't fraking care about their merchandise! I want my pendant! The pendant they stole from my father's body!"
Kyueng stood up, offended. "We never stole anything! We bought the trinket from a peasant for 10 000 ryu! How dare you insult my clan!" He then took out the pendant from his pocket. It was a light violet crystal hang on a golden chain. 'A truly beautiful pendant' Shikamaru thought. He looked at temari. For the first time she looked like she was about to cry.
"It used to belong to my mother. Give it back." It was the first time she had seen it since she left Suna for the chunin exam 4 years ago.
"Young lady, I am a merchant, I can sell it to you for... maybe 50 000 ryu?"
"Are you crazy? I don't have that money with me!" She could have used her wind jutsu on them but it could have damaged the crystal so she calmed down.
Without stopping looking at Temari, Shikamaru talked to the merchant. "You know this girl, even if she is a woman, is insanely strong. That would put this mission to an A-rank level at least. I won't fight her for nothing. What do you offer?"
"Let see... I offer you 5000 ryu if you can beat her."
"You're kinding right? A kunoichi of that level, and especially this one is at least 60 000 ryu!"
"I won't pay you that much young man. You shinobi are a bunch of racketeer! This is an outhrage!"
"Calm down old man. You know this pendant is really beautiful. If you give it to me I will fight for you."
"Wha... Why would I give you something I want you to keep it from getting stealed?"
Still looking straight in her eyes, Shikamaru respond to the man. "Because I'm sure if she decides to get it, she won't only take it and leave. I'm not fighting to protect it; it's to protect you and your family. Which one do you choose? That trinket or your family?"
"Okay, okay, if you beat her I will give it to you."
"Perfect." 'Better finish this quickly' He thought to himself. "If you don't mind Temari it would be better for us to fight there. So none of our attack might destroy my pendant." He smirked while saying that. He could see that was making her go crazy. If she had been the nine tail fox's host she would have probably gone nine tail straight.
"You fraking son of a bitch! You wouldn't dare! I search for it for almost two year! Why would you want to have it anyways? You know it's a girl necklace!"
"I know, but I think my mom would like it. Or maybe I should give it to a special girl. If you know what I mean." He then did something that unleashed the power of Temari on him, he wink!
"Wind scythe jutsu!" A huge blow of wind went in Shimakaru's direction. Of course he had planned it that she would do it so he substituted before being caught in the blast. He appeared several meter behind her. He saw her do something he would never imagine. 'She cut her thumb! I could only mean one thing: Katamari!' Katamari was Temari's summoning weasel. The only time he saw her using it it end up with the death of one of the sound four. Her thumb was halfway her fan, leaving a line of blood. He must act quickly. He put his hand together, making the rat handseal. "Shadow possession jutsu!"
The shadow grew closer and closer to Temari. She tried to finish her summoning but she suddenly couldn't move.
"Are you crazy Temari? You know you could have kill me? I thought we were friend?"
"Friend doesn't steal from each other. I knew you had flaws but I never knew you were a thief."
"I'm sorry Temari, but I must do it. You will wake up in an hour's maximum. Shadow strangle jutsu." From his distance he didn't need much power, in a matter of a second, Temari was knocked out.
"Bravo! Bravo! Magnificent!" the old men seem glad to be safe.
"The pendant..." Shikamaru didn't want to argue. "Give it now!"
The man seem reluctant to give it but he knew he had to. "Now continue that way, in fifteen minute you will see you village."
"You're not coming?" The daughter seems worried.
"My village has already been paid for the job and I need to take care of her." He looked at Temari. He hate himself to have been oblige to hurt her. Maybe with time she would forgive him. He hopes so. "Anyways, I sense the whole area and there's no shinobi nearby. You should be alright for now."
Shikamaru looked at Temari. She had been out for half an hour already. He took her hand to check the pulse. 'Still normal. Her skin is so soft. How could someone who's living in the desert have a skin so soft?' He caresses her cheek. 'Get a hold of yourself Shikamaru! If she wake up she will kill you!'
He looked at the pendant, still in his hand. The crystal was flawless. The little violet tint was making it look priceless.
"Humm.. What's going on?" Temari mumble with half a voice.
"You were incontrollable Temari. I had to restrain you."
"Hum... still too weak to kick your ass Shikamaru. You're going to pay for stealing from me."
Shikamaru then took the pendant and put it in Temari's hand and close it with his. He came closer and whispers next to her hear "I told you I would give it to someone special. I thought you had understood my wink." And with that he kissed her on the cheek. Temari blushed.
Temari couldn't think of a full answer but she manage to whisper "Thank you."
So what do you think? I know Temari is a bit ooc but it just feel like it was right. Anyways please review